keg1997

My wife wants another baby...

I love my TSX and was starting to eye up the new A4 or a BMW convertible. If we move forward on the 3rd child, all of those options will disappear.

Any suggestions for something that could hold 3 car seats? If we go ahead on child #3...we'd have 1 booster seat (4 YO), 1 forward facing car seat (he's 6 months right now), and then the baby seat. Those seats require a pretty wide car. I'm not really worried about a 3rd row or cargo capacity b/c we have the QX56 for our family trips.

We could do it easily in our QX, but I want nothing to do with something that big and gas thirsty. I like the TSX b/c it is nimble and sporty. Plus it gets great gas mileage and that is nice since I have a 60 mile roundtrip to work. I usually drop the kids off at the sitter since it is on the way to work so I need to be able to get those 3 car seats in my car.

NO MINIVANS!!


The possibilities that I could come up are....

MDX
Q7
Mazda CX-9
Larger sedan (A6, M35)

Anybody in a similar situation? What do you drive?

TIA!

ggesq

iTrader: (1)

keg- out of curiosity- aren't you supposed to wait at least a year before putting a kid in a forward facing seat?

keg1997

^ Right...but since we're only talking about a third child, he'd be well over 1 yr by then. I'm just pre-planning.

He's a strong heffer- he's already hanging out of his rear facing seat!

ggesq

iTrader: (1)

Pardon me, I need to drink coffee before I start posting on AZ.

TS_eXpeed

H1??

ThermonMermon

yup. good size, suprisingly good mileage.

BTW, stop having kids so fast

Blazing GT

MDX.

Very Very nice SUV. Can't go wrong

Infamous425

depends, whats your budget?

invisiblewar

check out that acadia or enclave

csmeance

If you want a car, maybe the TL? I have seen 3 seats fit in the back...

nokiaman

Face it, you need an Odyssey just like me..

On the other hand, I'd recommend the MDX. My wife had an 07 Tech and it was a pleasure to deal with. However keep in mind after owning both that I found the minivan more convenient for kids as it is lower, has automatic sliding doors, and an easily accessible third row seats unlike many SUVs. I'm not too fond of minivans as well but give the Ody a test-drive, you'll be surprised. Why own two suvs anyways?

keg1997

This would actually make me very happy. I'm going to try and see what I can do with it. The TL makes it a natural progression up from the TSX, but I have the feeling that the size will be just too tight. That is why a MDX makes the most sense for me at first glance.

As for budget....I don't know- I suppose under 50K but I'd rather stay under 40K.

No way on the H1- not a Hummer vehicle kinda of guy. I don't find trying the QX all that much fun. Hummers are even less sporty.

I definitely will look at the Acadia. Lady I work w/has one and I like it. Only downside is that it is a GM

Thanks for the suggestions...keep 'em coming

keg1997

No joke! I'd just as soon stop- we have 2 healthy kids- girl and a boy. But the wifey really likes babies and would like another....

RaviNJCLs

iTrader: (4)

You need a mini van. If you really want to push it, try the Pilot. They are wide and have a 3rd row option. Although, I would not really want to put a kid in that 3rd row.

The other choice for me would be the Pacifica. Same reason....3rd row.

I can't think of a single car that would work well for you. Our car seat takes up a little more than a 3rd of the back seat on both my I35 and Pathfinder. I can't imagine having 3 of those in the back. No chance they would all fit.

RaviNJCLs

iTrader: (4)

True. My sister in law has an Acadia. Nice truck. And a lot of space.

nokiaman

Most people avoid them like the plague but for the price and space you get, you cannot deny their utility.

Street Spirit

A van.

Sliding doors, two rows (don't see how you could comfortably fit 3 child seats in a single rows, especially without leaving room for an adult who may need to sit with the young babe), easy access to all rows (compared to SUVs with 3rd rows and regular doors), comfortable.

I work with families all day. I've never seen a family with more than two children using an SUV. Vans.....popular, utilitarian, and practical for families like these. Stop being in denial.

Street Spirit

Remember, you can always buy a slightly used van, use it while the kids are young and need seats and boosters, then sell it once you don't need as much seat space. I grew up in a full-sized wagon (rear facing back bench and all), but those aren't around anymore. Keep in mind too that as your children grow (and even now for the 4 year old), you may need to do some carpooling and driving of her friends to playdates, etc. Limiting even extra space (for your kids' friends) will eventually become frustrating, impractical, and make you do even more driving or planning.

Street Spirit

One of my families shows up in a TL (they also own a van). They have a toddler seat and a booster seat. I cannot see how a third seat would fit across the back. Even if it did, the thing I noticed right off the bat was that the 4 year old has a really hard time getting out of the booster (stepping down into the footwell and then turning to exit the car) because there just isn't a whole lot of room between the front and back seats. I am assuming they have the driver/passenger seat all the way back with the seatback adjusted, but there's definitely not a lot of legroom while she's in the booster, and certainly not a whole lot of room for her to wiggle out when it's time to leave the car.

Whiskers

The Volvos have built in boosters, that may help...

keg1997

Hmmm...that might would work.

I realize that a minivan would work best, but I don't want one. Nuff said. I would not even want the Peyton Manning turbo charged with flames going down the side. You could give me a loaded Ody and I'd still buy something else. Am I being vain? Sure, but we can afford to to do it. Plus, I'd really want something that is still fun to drive. An MDX, Q7, A6, etc. would qualify. Sienna....not so much

nokiaman

Porsche Cayenne...

TS_eXpeed

Well I hope not.



Maybe you were thinking I meant the H2?

I've only heard of one 1 person who actually drives an H1 on civilized roads.

The Dougler

iTrader: (1)

HHR, there's lots of room and they are cheap.

Costco

Have you even driven a Sienna? Embarrassingly I can say I have for snowboarding trip driving duty and test driving it with my brother, and honestly I'd prefer a car-based minivan over a body-on-frame SUV. Its just my personal preference but the AWD Sienna(s) I've driven have good handling for such a large vehicle, and it has a great ride.

I would venture to go out and say that you've never even driven the new Sienna.... just guessing. If you can't deal with the stigma of driving a minivan, then just leave it at that.

Besides, a lot of SUVs these days are car-based/unibody.... or should I call them crossovers. They're basically minivans with somewhat more aggressive styling, higher ground clearance, and are shorter in length.... the Acadia, MDX, Q7 being prime examples. Don't be offended, but yes, you're vain.

JS + XES

iTrader: (1)

ewwwww

JS + XES

iTrader: (1)

Ody. FTW.

TS_eXpeed

And how can an HHR have enough room for 3 car seats? It looks like a childs play thing.

is300eater

I like the Q7

Danil ACE

The H1 is actually very cramped on the inside believe it or not.

is300eater

I've been in one... actually briefly drove one... but yeah, the front... is really awkward... that center console is like a mountain

cltypeSLOW

you need something with captains chairs for the 2nd row and a bench for the 3rd row.

My uncle just got an acadia and he loves it. I also recently rode in saturns version of the acadia, which seemed really nice as well.

TypeSDragon

I know you don't want a minivan. But if you have another child, it really isn't what YOU WANT anymore. You got to do what is best for the family. And having 3 kids in the back with carseats are not practical. Try to look at the new Honda Odysessy and Toyota Sienna they are really nice minivans and and a whole lot easier getting in and out with kids.

NSXNEXT

iTrader: (2)

Unless you're getting a 7 series, an Audi A8, or a Maybach, I can't think of any sedan that will hold three car seats.

The other issue is safety, I don't believe there are three sets of latches in a sedan, so you'd have to double up on each inner latch to get the third seat in, which I would see as a potential safety issue.

phile

You need a minivan.

dom

Minivan FTW.

If you do go sedan, keep in mind that there are forward facing car seats specifically designed for being used 3 abreast in a sedan. A close friend has 3 kids and uses them in what I consider a very narrow 99 CR-V. Downside is, you have to buy 3 of them.

Street Spirit

I don't think it makes him vain, I just think he's trying to think outside the box. The problem with that though, is that he's crossing off the most practical, obvious choice, which will make it a lot more difficult to find something that will actually work for the family as a whole (not just him).

Will Y.

We have two kids and have a ..... Honda Odyssey minivan.

Besides, women see me in or with the Odyssey, they can see I'm a stud and can perform (the kids may actually look like me; I assume they are mine), and guys see my hot wife and know I'm getting some of that, so I like having a minivan.

Moog-Type-S

Ody

is300eater

isn't the ody actually kinda fast for a minivan?